Mr Fungavaka, 38, died in August last year after suffering severe head injuries while in police custody. The Counties Manukau policeman was in the country to bury his grandfather, who had died just days earlier.

Six men are accused of his manslaughter.

Dr Garavan read his findings at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court yesterday on the second day of the Preliminary Inquiry into the homicide death, the Matangi Tonga reported. Mr Fungavaka was allegedly stomped on his head, choked into unconsciousness, hit on his head with a torch, and punched.

"As a result of the autopsy and review of information available to me at the time, I wrote this report and formed the opinion that the cause of death was a huge blunt blow trauma to the head," Dr Garavan said.

The pathologist said the information provided to him by New Zealand Police suggested Mr Fungavaka had been drinking alcohol after the funeral until the early morning of August 18.

He was arrested for being drunk in a public place.

Dr Garavan said at some point after his arrest Mr Fungavaka was assaulted within the police cell block.

Information suggested he fell and hit his head on a concrete floor at the police station. There was an admission from police that he was strangled or choked before he fell on his head, because he was being aggressive in the arresting area.

Crown Prosecutor Sione Sisifa told the court the Crown alleged the five accused police officers were in a joint enterprise to commit the unlawful act of committing manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm on Mr Fungavaka.